Build A Chicken Coop

baymule

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I started the base last spring when we raised Cornish Cross. I was going to build 2 coops, but realized that by the time I finished 2, they would be butcher size. So I threw all my efforts into building one, aided by my husband. He always goes along with my hair brained ideas.

This base has been sitting out there, until we got a Silkie trio for our granddaughter. They went into a portable coop and we dragged the base to where we wanted it. I measured and cut, cut angles that I have no idea how to do, but I do it anyway.

We had the girls for a weekend, so we gave them paint brushes and turned them loose.

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Then it rained. And rained. And rained some more. For weeks. Gloomy, gray, drizzly and cold. Finally we got two days of NO RAIN! We worked on it yesterday and today. Tomorrow is 90% rain.

Yesterday we put up rafters.

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DH wanted a window, so we set one.

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The window barely fit, height wise. I know you’re supposed to box in a window, but there wasn’t room at the top. Hmmmm..... I had a scrap, not suprising, since my projects are scrap and reject lumber. The corner of the scrap board stuck up too far, so I set the saw at 45* and shaved off the corner. Victory.

We had 3 sheets of OSB and 1 sheet of plywood that DH painted both sides yesterday to protect it from humidity. So we decked our roof.

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Then we rolled out tar paper and tacked it down.

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We have a lot more to do, between rain and life getting in the way, we’ll get it done! All this for 3 little Silkies and our 11 year old granddaughter!
 

Chic Rustler

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Thats way nicer than mine! And with the runners on the bottom its mobile!
 

baymule

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I originally planned it for a chicken tractor, but the one we finished was so heavy that moving it was a big deal. But yeah, we can skid it anywhere we want. Will add a run later and make it more stationary.
 

baymule

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So we went to a wedding and were gone a couple of nights. DH walked the bride down the aisle. It was outside at a winery, the weather cooperated and it was beautiful. We were included in the parents photograph because we are #2 Mom and Dad.

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Then the reception, cake, wine, DJ and dancing. The bride and groom danced their first dance. DH and I danced a couple of dances. The new husband and mine sat down. The DJ cranked up the music, the bride, bridesmaids the bride’s mother and I had a blast. I didn’t sit down for nearly 3 hours. I danced my ass off!

I say all this in explanation of why I let so many sunny days go by without working on the coop. I was so SORE! I felt like a cripple. My back hurt, my groin felt like I was gut shot. My legs were sore, my neck hurt from flinging my hair, I was totally wasted. The good news is, the bride was as wiped out as I was, and I’ve got 23 years on her! LOL LOL

Anyway today I felt almost human again, so back to work on the coop we went. Our granddaughter spent the night and I put a drill in her hands. She put up some brace boards, climbed up the ladder, helped box in a hole for a small door to the future run. When it came time to hang tin, DH got her a paintbrush and can of paint. She painted the braces we put up at the top of the rafters and boards that had not been painted.

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DH and I hung tin on the back. We marked the cuts and I used tin snips to cut it. The opening at the top is for ventilation, has hardware cloth over it and the roof tin will extend over it to help keep out rain.

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CrealCritter

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I started the base last spring when we raised Cornish Cross. I was going to build 2 coops, but realized that by the time I finished 2, they would be butcher size. So I threw all my efforts into building one, aided by my husband. He always goes along with my hair brained ideas.

This base has been sitting out there, until we got a Silkie trio for our granddaughter. They went into a portable coop and we dragged the base to where we wanted it. I measured and cut, cut angles that I have no idea how to do, but I do it anyway.

We had the girls for a weekend, so we gave them paint brushes and turned them loose.

View attachment 8769

Then it rained. And rained. And rained some more. For weeks. Gloomy, gray, drizzly and cold. Finally we got two days of NO RAIN! We worked on it yesterday and today. Tomorrow is 90% rain.

Yesterday we put up rafters.

View attachment 8770

DH wanted a window, so we set one.

View attachment 8771

The window barely fit, height wise. I know you’re supposed to box in a window, but there wasn’t room at the top. Hmmmm..... I had a scrap, not suprising, since my projects are scrap and reject lumber. The corner of the scrap board stuck up too far, so I set the saw at 45* and shaved off the corner. Victory.

We had 3 sheets of OSB and 1 sheet of plywood that DH painted both sides yesterday to protect it from humidity. So we decked our roof.

View attachment 8772

View attachment 8773

View attachment 8774

View attachment 8775

Then we rolled out tar paper and tacked it down.

View attachment 8776

View attachment 8777

We have a lot more to do, between rain and life getting in the way, we’ll get it done! All this for 3 little Silkies and our 11 year old granddaughter!

Your lil helpers are adorable! Kids are so cool, but grandkids are the best!
 

baymule

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Since then we've had nothing but rain and drizzle. Yesterday was beautiful so we did garden cleanup. Today we watched the kids, it was windy, cold and cloudy, so we mostly hung out inside. I cooked dinner, parents showed up, we ate and visited. A good day. Raining now, rain tomorrow, then 4-5 days of sunshine!!!
 

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